I loved it how yesterday, my kids drank smoothies with lettuce and herbs and had NO problem with it! Today, we tried kale in our smoothie! Again, no problem! (Oh, and I made this one up.)

Pear Kale Smoothie

1 cup milk (I used 2%.)

1 cup frozen blueberries (thawed just a tiny bit.)

1 large red pear, cored and cut into pieces

1 banana

1 small kale leaf (we’re easing into this…I’ll probably do a little more next time.)

1/3 cup vanilla yogurt

I put the milk in first, then added the kale and mixed it up. I wanted to make sure the “green stuff” was mixed really well. Then I added the blueberries and mixed it. I did the pear a few pieces at a time. The banana and yogurt mixed in nicely. I ended up getting this mixed really well. The only problem we had with this smoothie was the grittiness from the pear. It wasn’t bad though! Other than that, it tasted really good! You couldn’t even taste the kale! I’ll do it again…next time using a little more kale. shhhhhhhhhhhhh

*Pear’s fiber does a lot more than help prevent constipation and ensure regularity. Fiber has been shown in a number of studies to lower high cholesterol levels, good news to people at risk for atherosclerosis or diabetic heart disease. Fiber in the colon binds to bile salts and carries them out of the body. Since bile salts are made from cholesterol, the body must break down more cholesterol to make more bile, a substance that is also necessary for digestion. The end result is a lowering of cholesterol levels.

Fiber also binds to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon, preventing them from damaging colon cells. This may be one reason why diets high in fiber-rich foods, such as pears, are associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer. Additionally, the fact that low dietary intake of copper seems to also associated with risk factors for colon cancer (increased fecal free radical production and fecal water alkaline phosphatase activity) serves as yet another reason in support of why this delicious fruit may be very beneficial for colonic health.

*Kale’s risk-lowering benefits for cancer have recently been extended to at least five different types of cancer. These types include cancer of the bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate. Isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from glucosinolates in kale play a primary role in achieving these risk-lowering benefits.